Sen. Lindsey Graham has frustrated grassroots conservatives in his home state for years.

(CNN) - The Lexington County Republican Party in South Carolina voted late Monday to censure Sen. Lindsey Graham for his positions on several controversial issues, including his recent support for a compromise on cap-and-trade legislation.

The Lexington GOP is now the second county party organization in a matter of months to censure Graham after Charleston County leaders approved a similar resolution in November. But unlike Charleston County, Lexington is one of the most conservative counties in South Carolina and is considered a bellwether of Republican sentiment in the state.

The measure passed by a 13-7 vote after more than an hour of debate, according to Lexington County GOP chairman Rich Bolen. Four party members, including Bolen, abstained.

Along with criticizing his cap-and-trade support, Monday's censure resolution also rapped Graham for his vote in favor of the 2008 financial bailout and his outspoken support of immigration reform.

The grassroots activists who generally make up county party organizations have never been enthusiastic about their senior senator, who has frequently crossed party lines to work with Democrats in the Senate.

The language in Monday's censure resolution makes that sentiment clear. The measure criticizes Graham for failing to abide by the principles of the South Carolina GOP platform and accuses him of showing "contempt and belligerence" toward his fellow Republicans.

soundoff(32 Responses)

Mark

The people of South Carolina (and elected republicans) continue to make themselves look like complete idiots. Apparently, according to South Carolina republicans and their supporters, it is okay to be racist, unfaithful to your spouse, destroy the environment, ignore the needy, hope the economy fails and brings on a depression, and then just be plain stupid like Joe Wilson. Who the hell would ever want to be associated with that state?

January 5, 2010 12:29 am at 12:29 am |

ThinkAgain

Gee, I thought the GOP was a "big tent" party ....

January 5, 2010 12:31 am at 12:31 am |

ebrima

shameless idiots

January 5, 2010 12:32 am at 12:32 am |

C Spurgeon

He shows contempt and belligerence toward almost everybody.Dems, Republicans, President but then look at where he hails from....term limits please and cut the benefit packages.

January 5, 2010 12:32 am at 12:32 am |

Michael

Republican extremists will be the death of the GOP. Stick to your guns, Senator. Be a statesman who looks for solutions to problems that meet a realistic consensus as opposed to some stupid ideological litmus test.